Millions of people are born in this world. Most of them are soon forgotten while some others leave their footprints in the sands of time for posterity. Such people "leaders, philosophers, scientists, saints and holy men" are a fountain of inspiration. Their teachings, and even certain incidents from their lives serve as a beacon light that illuminates the way for generations that follow. This book contains over a 100 thought-provoking anecdotes gleaned from the lives of various great people. They impart instant lessons of life generally not found in school or college textbooks. They leave a deep impression upon the mind and appeal to one's sense of ethics.A well-documented book, it makes excellent reading for everyone. Children of impressionable age will get to learn basic values in a fun way.

About the Author(s)

The author of this book, J.M. Mehta is a post graduate in English literature and a topper in B.Ed examination from the Punjab University. He held various responsible assignments both at the headquarters and abroad including postings in the U.K., Russia, Kenya, Vietnam and the Philippines. The author, after retiring from the Ministry of External Affairs in 1993, has been devoting much of his time to reading and writing.

Sample Chapters

Advice To A Student
To a student going abroad for studies, Gandhiji gave advice as follows:-
Speak little. Listen to everyone, but do only what is right.
Keep account of every minute and do each piece of work, when it should be done.
Live like the poor. Never take pride in riches. Keep account of every pie (paisa) you spend.
Study with concentration.Take regular exercise. Eat sparingly. Maintain a daily diary.

Gandhiji And III Class
Gandhiji used to travel in train by III class.Once, someone enquired: "Bapu, why do you travel by III class?"
Gandhiji replied: "Because there is no IV class!"
He was such a ready wit and humble person.

Gandhiji And Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan
Gandhiji used to gently slap a child whom he loved. One day Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan noticed this and said to Gandhiji: "Bapu, you slap the one you love,
but you have never slapped me. This means you do not love me."

Gandhiji looked at the huge body of Ghaffar Khan and said: "I do love you but I do not slap you because if you return in the same coin, then I will be crushed." All around had a good laugh.

The Gita And The Bible
An Englishman came to Gandhiji and said: "I have read the Bhagavad Gita and like it."
Gandhiji responded by saying: "I like it too."
The man added that he liked the Gita better than the Bible.
Gandhiji said: "I read the Bible and like it too."
The Englishman then said: "Since I find the Gita better than the Bible, I would like to convert to Hinduism."
Gandhiji thought a while and said: I think you have not understood the Bible well. Since you are not a good Christian, how can you be a good Hindu?
It is therefore better that you first become a good Christian. If you succeed in doing this, you will become a good human being. And if you do so, then you will not only be a good Christian, but a good Hindu, a good Muslim and a good Jew as well. The walls of narrow, separate religions within your heart will then break away.
This shows Gandhiji's understanding of true religion, unity of all religions and his broad-mindedness.

LORD KRISHNA

Honour Of Draupadi
Having lost everything, including himself, brothers and Draupadi in a gambling bout, Yudhishtra and his brothers were helpless when Duhshasan was eager to strip Draupadi naked, in the court of Duryodhana. They could do nothing as they were slaves of Duryodhana.
Then Draupadi turned to Lord Krishna for help. She cried out to Krishna: "But for thee, none else can come to my rescue." It is said that Shri Krishna appeared and said to her: "Draupadi, can you tell me if at any time you have given a single piece of cloth to some one in need?" Darupadi recalled that one day she was standing on a river bank when a sanyasi was taking bath. A sudden and swift wave of water swept away the single loin cloth worn by sanyasi, leaving him naked.
Darupadi saw this and at once tore a piece of cloth from her saree, gave it to the sanyasi and thus helped him to come out of the river.
This incident gave Lord Krishna a starting point to save her honour. He drew out several lengths of material to Draupadi, out of that piece of cloth she had given to the sanyasi. Duhshasan, therefore, could not strip her naked when Lord Krishna was there to help her.

LAL BAHADUR SHASTRI

Help And Kindness
Lal Bahadur Shastri was then Railway Minister and was travelling in a train. His seat was reserved in a first class compartment. But he also had an ailing companion whose seat was in the III class compartment. Shastriji put his ailing companion in first class seat and himself went to III class compartment and went to sleep, covering himself with a sheet.
A ticket collector came. He did not recognise Shastriji, so he admonished him for occupying a wrong seat. But when he came to know of Shastriji's identity, he was surprised and out of fear said: "Sir, let me escort you to the first class compartment."
But Shastriji said: "Please don't bother me and let me sleep here."
Later on, the ticket collector investigated the matter and came to know the whole secret.
How kind and compassionate was Shastriji!
Do Not Accept The Job
Lal Bahadur Shastri, a former Prime Minister of India, was a man of great integrity. He would never accept any undue favour. When he was Prime Minister, a big company offered a good job with a handsome salary to his son, for which he sought his father's permission.
When Shastriji saw the appointment letter he told his son: "This job is being offered to you because you are the son of the Prime Minister, and not on your merit. If you accept the job, it will indirectly be a bribe to me. So do not accept this job."
This was an example of great integrity of a great man.

Child In A Basket
When L.B. Shastri was an infant, his mother took him to Varanasi for a bath in the river Ganges. There was very large crowd and due to the pushing and jostling the child fell from the lap of the mother. Due the rush, the mother could not find the son in spite of her best efforts. She went home full of sorrow. Everyone in the home was sad and disappointed. Later on, a policeman came to them with an infant. In the rush of the crowd, when the child fell, he fell in the basket of a farmer and was thus safe and sound!